{REVIEW} Confess by Colleen Hoover

Title: Confess
Author: Colleen Hoover
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Drama
Rating: ★★★★★ + the universe

Blurb from Goodreads:

Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.


The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…

My Thoughts/Reaction:

“I love you so much.” His voice is breathless and full of fear. “I’ll love you forever. Even when I can’t.” My tears fall harder at his words. “And I’ll love you forever. Even when I shouldn't.” 

I am still in awe of how beautifully written Collen Hoover's book always are. She has such a flawless  style of writing that not only captivates you, but consumes you. I feel exactly what the characters are feeling down to the deepest part of my soul. I fall in love with the characters the same way they do and just as passionately. Because of this, I will read anything and everything CoHo writes forever!

This book is not just a love story between a girl and a guy. It's so much more — as it always is with CoHo. It's about sacrifice, truth, love,and finding your own strength. Auburn Mason Reed and Owen Mason Gentry are some of my new favorite characters and I admire their strength to sacrifice what would make them happy for the good of the ones they love. They are so strong, loving, kind, and selfless. How adorable is it that they have the same middle name? You're right, Owen. That's totes fate.

“There are people you meet that you get to know, and then there are people you meet that you already know.” 

Auburn was such a great female lead. I admired everything she had to endure and she still found the will to smile and love again. However, I wanted to slap her a few times for defending Trey and his manipulations as excuses for his behavior. I hated that she was so driven to be with her son that she was letting herself be spineless for a little white just so she could see him. Hello! THIS IS NOT OKAY! AND YOU NEED TO TAKE YOUR SON AWAY ASAP!

I also hated how cold and heartless Lydia was. This woman just wanted control over Auburn and was a complete B TO THE ITCH! I could not stand her. Come to think of it, I really don't see how someone as wonderful as Adam came from such an awful family because Trey could go die in a ditch somewhere and I couldn't care less.

Owen, on the other hand, is bae.

OMG! Owen Mason Gentry ♥  This man is beautiful. He is not only attractive,but he paints?! He is the definition of selfless! He is protective and kind and loving and hot and handsome and funny and amazing and wonderful and I want him. I loved how he fell in love with Auburn before he even met her and the lengths he would go to keep her safe. He is the only one deserving of her and I am so glad she found her way to him.

“Selflessness. It should be the basis of every relationship. If a person truly cares about you, they'll get more pleasure from the way they make you feel, rather than the way you make them feel.” 

This book also not only has a beautiful cover, but CoHo also integrated all the art discussed in the book wonderfully. There are beautiful pictures of the paintings done by Owen inside the book and I absolutely love them! The confessions were also a nice touch. I find it so cool how people actually submitted anonymous confessions to CoHo and she used some in this book!

If you want a great read with a swoon worthy guy and a great story with an amazing love story...look no further! Colleen Hoover is your guide!

{REVIEW} Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

Title: Ugly Love
Author: Colleen Hoover
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary
Rating: ★★★★★

Blurb from Goodreads:

When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.

They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.

Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.

Love gets ugly.

My Rating/Thoughts:

“Ugly love becomes you. Consumes you. Makes you hate it all. Makes you realize that all the beautiful parts aren't even worth it. Without the beautiful, you'll never risk feeling the ugly. So you give it all up. You give it all up. You never want love again, no matter what kind it is, because no type of love will ever be worth living through the ugly love again.” 

This book — THIS BOOK — is seriously one of the best books I have ever read. I am still in awe of it and definitely want to read it again. I had never read Colleen Hoover before, but because I am involved with the bookstagram community I see everyone, literally everyone, talk about how amazing CoHo is. So I knew I just had to give her a try, but I was a little hesitant because I had never read New Adult before. I was still somewhat new to reading contemporary books as it was, but I decided to give it a try anyway. So I decided to pick up Ugly Love because I don't know, why not? And let me tell you...I devoured it! I absolutely loved it! This story and its characters completely consumed me. I was so invested with their story and their emotions that I was clutching my book and crying—ugly crying— by the end and I am still thinking about it here and there. Colleen Hoover just has a talent for creating wonderful stories with wonderful characters that stay with you. Since reading, I have read three more CoHo books and they are all my favorite. My absolute favorites! Now I really do recommend this book if you want a touching love story about loss and finding yourself again, but be warned there are a lot of sexy times. So I do  not recommend for those under 18 years.

Miles Archer. Miles Archer. Oh my gods!

Miles Archer is easily the most sexy male lead character I have ever read. Oh my god. This man is beautiful. His heart is beautiful. And I just couldn't stop picturing Nick Bateman the entire book! And if you haven't seen Nick Bateman, then oh man. Give your eyes some candy and look up Nick Bateman right now! 

I really enjoyed Tate as well. I loved that she was going through med school and was working as a nurse. I loved her sweet friendship with Cap. The fact that she didn't have any friends and made a great friendship with an eighty year old man who escorts people in the elevators of the apartment building was just so sweet to me. She was such a strong character and she went after what she wanted even if it was hard. She knew that getting her heart broken by Miles was more likely the outcome  if she told him she wanted more and expected more, but she did it anyway because she couldn't deny how she felt. I absolutely loved her. 

“But the second she opened her eyes and looked at me, I knew. She was either going to be the death of me . . . or she was going to be the one who finally brought me back to life.” 

I really liked how this book was told from two different POVs and timelines. Tate is told during the present and Miles' POV was told from six years earlier and it was really interesting to see how his story shaped him into the man that he became. Man reading what happened to him seriously broke

me.

“God gives us the ugliness so we don’t take the beautiful things in life for granted.” 

I can't stress enough how lovely this book was. I just loved it. It was steamy, sexy, deep, and just all around a great story. There's nothing else I can really say without sounding like a completely insane fangirl because let's face it...I am. (;

“When life gives you lemons, make sure you know whose eyes you need to squeeze them in.” 

I'll leave you to drool over this

{REVIEW} A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Book: 1
Rating: ★★★★★ + a million

Blurb from Goodreads:

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.


Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

My Rating/Thoughts:

This book will be the death of me! I think it's safe to say that Sarah J. Maas is unquestionably a genius when it comes to building a great fantasy novel. Not only did this book have great mix of faerie lore, but it was a fantastic retelling of Beauty and the Beast (which is my favorite movie of all time).

I loved this world! I loved these characters! I loved EVERY SINGLE HOT GUY IN THIS GLORIOUS BOOK! Oh man! TAMLIN! LUCIEN! RHYS! I don't think my heart could take anymore hot guys! I loved the sweet romance between Tamlin and Feyre! It was heartwarming, sweet, funny and perfect! I loved the friendship and protectiveness between Lucien and Feyre and even the new founded relationship between Rhysand and Feyre!

Feyre was such a strong female lead and I absolutely loved her character development. I can't wait to see what else is in store for her! She had such hatred and resentment in her heart that it was such a complete 180 to see her so selfless at the end. The lengths she went to save not only Tamlin, but the very faeries that she hated in the beginning. Plus, she's such a bad@$$.

And we just can't forget about Tamlin's sweet, cute attempts to court Feyre. I couldn't stop laughing!

“You look . . . better than before."
Was that a compliment? I could have sworn Lucien gave Tamlin an encouraging nod.
"And you hair is . . . clean.”
Oh, my sweet Tamlin. *sighs*


GAH! SARAH J. MAAS!! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WAIT A WHOLE YEAR FOR THE NEXT BOOK?! MY EYEBALLS NEED IT NOW!

{REVIEW} Never Too Late by Micalea Smeltzer

Title: Never Too Late
Author: Micalea Smeltzer
Series: Willow Creek
Book: 2
Rating: ★★★★

Blurb from Goodreads:

I’d never met anyone quite like Mathias Wade. 
He was brooding and arrogant, but I loved him anyway. 
Together we were wild and uncontained—a hurricane raging. 
Then I had to leave, and words were exchanged that could never be undone.
But now I was back, and Mathias better watch out, because this bitch wasn’t finished with him. 
Game. Set. Match. 
All is fair in love and war, right?

Mathias Wade, the lead singer of Willow Creek, is used to getting everything he wants. Except for Remy Parker—the one that got away. Childhood friends that grew into more, Remy was the one constant in his life until she moved away. In anger, he lashed out and broke the only girl he ever loved. With temptation around every corner Mathias drowns his sorrow in women and alcohol. When the band returns to their hometown for the holidays the last thing Mathias expects is to run into Remy—but she’s back, and she’s not done with him.

Remy never forgot Mathias or the pain he caused her. When she moves back to the place she grew up to take care of her ailing grandma her heart is set on revenge. She’s determined to make Mathias fall in love with her all over again—only this time she’s going to break his heart.

But Mathias never stopped loving Remy—and she soon discovers that her feelings haven’t disappeared either.


Can two people too stubborn for their own good overcome their own demons and find the love they always deserved?

My Rating/Thoughts:

This book, holy guacamole was it an emotional ride! I absolutely loved it! After reading Last to Know I was so excited to get to know Mathias a little bit better and I am so glad we got that chance! Mathias Wade is one the best bad boys I've read in a long time. You can't help but love him. He's rude, brooding, a pain in your behind and has the attitude to match, but deep down he's the sweetest guy you could ever meet. My heart literally was in a puddle of tears seeing him worry so much over his sweet little pitbull puppy, Shiloh. Leave it to Micalea Smeltzer to really make you fall in love with the character's pets. Remy was a great character as well. I admit I didn't like her too much in the beginning because I hated that she just wanted to hurt Mathias so badly, but I really learned to like her when she let her guard down and saw why she was so bitter. She was just as sassy and strong as Mathias and these two are made for each other. I am so wrapped up in these characters and their stories that I am sad that I have to wait for the next one to come out! The Willow Creek series is written beautifully and so vibrant with lovable characters that you too will get wrapped up in their world. I really do love it and I am so thankful to be involved in bookstagram or else I wouldn't have heard known about these books.

Never Too Late is a great story. It has pretty much everything you want in a contemporary NA novel. It will have you laughing, crying, and crying from laughing! Seriously, I don't know how many times I was laughing out loud because Remy's grandma was such a hoot. But be warned, there are a lot of "sexy times" in this novel.

I loved the way these two messed up kids grew into such strong individuals and were able to find each other again to finally have their happy ending! Such a touching feeling. And! I absolutely LOVED seeing Maddox and Emma again! Oh my goody goody gumdrops! I loved loved Maddox and Emma in this novel and seriously started crying at the end (':

I am so glad I was given an ARC from the author because I had to dive in straightaway! She has truly captivated my heart with her characters and I can't wait for more!

{REVIEW} Last to Know by Micalea Smeltzer

Title: Last to Know
Author: Micalea Smeltzer
Series: Willow Creek
Book: 1
Rating: ★★★★1/2

Blurb from Goodreads:

He was just a boy.
And I was just a girl.
But if that’s all there was to the story it wouldn’t be very interesting, would it?

Up and coming band Willow Creek is back in their hometown for the summer. For the drummer, Maddox Wade, this summer was meant for writing music and playing gigs.

Falling in love was not part of the plan.

One look at Emma Burke and those plans cease to matter.

Emma is quiet and guarded. She’s still hurt from her father walking out two years ago. She doesn’t want to trust Maddox, but with his dark hair, smoldering good looks, and infectious smile he’s impossible to resist.

Together Maddox and Emma embark on an unforgettable summer of adventures and first love.
Everything is perfect…or so Emma thinks.

There are things she doesn’t know, and when she finds out the truth it might shatter everything she’s built with Maddox.


No one said love was easy, and for Maddox and Emma it just might be impossible.

My Rating/Thoughts:

“The way I see it, there are always going to be the ones that love you and the ones that hate you—let’s face it, people love to tear others down, but as long as you’re confident within yourself then nothing else matters.” 

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

The only reason this didn't get 5 stars was because the plot synopsis spoils the book. This book was a cute love story about a shy, quiet girl and an adorable sweet guy who is the drummer of a popular hometown band. I really enjoyed reading this story, but I was a little disappointed that the "conflict" was spoiled right there in the blurb. Emma doesn't know that that Maddox is in a famous band so you keep wondering when Maddox will finally tell only to realize that this is his "big secret"--so I was a bit disappointed. I wish I was kept in the dark right along with Emma. But then you kind of have to wonder how Emma could be so blind and didn't put two and two together. Come on, Emma! Other than that, this book was fantastic! I loved the humor, the romance was to die for, the sassy writing, and all the lovable characters--not to mention the adorable hedgehog Sonic! I cannot wait to read the other books in the Willow Creek series. Micalea Smeltzer is a great writer and I love the level of sass that she includes in her writing. I am diving into Never Too Late right after I put this laptop away! I'm ready to fall in love with Mathias Wade (;

“I got lost in the imaginary world—picturing myself as the heroine. After all, wasn’t that why people read? So they could live someone else’s life for a little while?”

I recommend! And you can get an ebook of Last to Know for free right on on most retailers for a limited time!

{REVIEW} Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

Title: Hopeless
Author: Colleen Hoover
Series: Hopeless
Book: 1
Rating: ★★★★★

Blurb from Goodreads:

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.


Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

My Rating/Thoughts:

“Not everyone gets a happily every after. Life is real and sometimes it's ugly and you just have to learn how to cope.” 

This is my second Colleen Hoover book and I am speechless! Her writing is so perfect and beautiful that I can never seem to set my book down. The way she captivates not only your attention, but your heart. You fall in love with both the characters and the story they hold. I bow down to you Colleen Hoover!

“And while I could sit here and feel sorry for myself, wondering why all of this happened to me..I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to wish for a perfect life. The things that knock you down in life are tests, forcing you to make a choice between giving in and remaining on the ground or wiping the dirt off and standing up even taller than you did before you were knocked down. I'm choosing to stand taller. I'll probably get kicked down a few more times before this life is through with me, but I can guarantee you I'll never stay on the ground.” 

Sky had a great story that I couldn't help but fall in love with. It was touching, heartbreaking, and breathtaking. Sky was such a strong character that I, too, was so proud of her for the choices she's made. I thought she was fantastic and I loved her for it.

“I can already tell he isn't the kind of guy a girl gets a simple crush on. He's the kind of guy you fall hard for."

But Dean Holder? Dean Holder. He is definitely top 5 Book Boyfriends. He is so complex, passionate, protective, supportive, loving, kind, funny, and a million other things that made me love him more and more. Every single thing he did that made Sky give a piece of her heart to him also made me give a piece of my heart to him as well. I loved the connection he had with Sky and the way he was so passionate about everything he did. He feels everything in every fiber of his being. He can't feel anything only slightly, he feels so greatly and it makes him fantastic. I cannot wait to read Losing Hope so I can drive into his thoughts and feelings!

“I'm not a sucker for happily ever afters, but if these two characters don't get theirs I might climb inside this e-reader and lock them both inside that damn garage forever.” 
(Me too, Sky. Me too.)

This book was definitely  heartbreaking and had me crying for much of it, but it was also such a touching story. I recommend!